Green & Black's Organic Dark Chocolate Bar, 85% Cacao, 10 - 3.17 oz Bars

I eat about a box of this every month. I’m here venting that it’s sold out, and always think about resorting to growing my own chocolate when it does. The climate would make this easy where I live, but harvesting takes a lot of work. The price you get considering the work it takes to harvest chocolate—and comparing this bar with others—is incredible. It’s healthy, and there’s a relatively good portion to price ratio. If the workers are reading this, thank you! You help make the favorite part of my day, everyday. I’m lost and a little grumpy without you.Is this chocolate for you? Read this first:Chocolate is a bitter bean. Beans are hard, not soft and smooth. These beans are not composed of milk and sugar, as many “chocolate” companies would have you believe. It has a good amount of fiber, protein, iron, healthy fat, and all sorts of things that are good for you. It’s great for healthy weigh gain, or as a lovely, healthy treat in small pieces. I also happen to find it dreamily delicious, and it’s one of the only chocolates I feel better after eating (lots of chronic illnesses here). To repeat, chocolate is not a sweet treat you want to sit down and eat, nor something most people can tolerate in very large doses. It’s something you put in your sour yogurt to somehow make it seem sweeter (sour + bitter = sweet?), brew hot chocolate with, or otherwise slowly savor small pieces while giving thanks. It is not something everyone will like, nor something that you’ll be able to easily want or tolerate in large doses by itself, and that’s okay.

I was introduced several years ago to Green & Black's dark chocolate by my vegan sister-in-law. Unfortuately, I don't think it is still vegan since the label contains the pesky note that it may contain milk (and/or tree nuts) without those actually included in the ingredients. Still, the bars contain 100% organic ingredients, including the cane sugar. Green & Black's claims that it is suitable for vegetarians, which means the sugar at least isn't refined using bone char.With that out of the way . . . wow, what great flavor. This bittersweet chocolate is suitable for both munching and baking. Since most dark chocolate starts at 70% cocoa, this 85% version is even darker, more intense, and less sweet than many other bars. I am a fan of the darkest chocolates, so these bars are right in my wheelhouse.-- Debbie Lee Wesselmann

Green & Black is my favorite moderate priced chocolate so this review is a no-brainer for me. But perhaps this review will help. I prefer the 85% dark chocolate--it's smooth, has a bit of dark chocolate bitterness but isn't unpleasantly bitter. It is very rich with just a hint of sweetness.While there is added sugar the level of sugar in a single serving (10 pieces) is just 4 grams. the pieces are small (30 per bar) so it's easy to moderate/control intake if so inclined (which I am, at least I claim to be)The price here is about the standard per bar when purchased at a market although recent price increases have changed that so it may be a bit better. I find the availability in stores is inconsistent so I have gone to online purchase. Mine has been well within "best by" guidelines so I am not purchasing stale chocolate.Every chocoholic knows the tasted and texture is highly personal so keep that in mind. 85% is a bit strong for most people. G&B makes 70%, a milk chocolate bar (35% I think), and some other bars with "stuff" in them (I don't like "stuff"-nuts, toffee, etc. in my chocolate) and those bars may fit your preferences. My wife loves their milk chocolate and, frankly, it is my favorite milk chocolate as well. But then, it's not dark so...

Let me start by saying that I used to be obsessed with milk chocolate candies. I would keep a giant bowl of butterfingers, snickers, etc. and grab them throughout the day. Switching to dark chocolate in the past has been difficult for me because I've always found it to be too bitter. Well when I started having health issues I went on a diet (doctor's orders) and most of that candy wasn't allowed so I tried some dark chocolate that was made with Stevia. YUCK. I don't know if it was the Stevia, but it had an awful aftertaste. I kept eating it because I didn't have many choices to get my chocolate fix.Fast forward a few months and my doctor put me on a different, sugar-free diet for 30 days. I couldn't have any chocolate or sugar (unless from natural sources) at all. Coming off of that I bought some of these to try. They have added sugar, but hopefully the health benefits of dark chocolate balances it out. I don't feel bad about eating this every day or every other day. It doesn't leave a bad aftertaste like the Stevia ones I tried, doesn't taste as bitter as the Hershey's dark chocolate and it melts in your mouth.I tried eating a Hershey's milk chocolate bar the other day and it was way too sweet for me, which is really odd for me because I used to be able to drink sweet teas ALL day. So if you're looking for a good dark chocolate to try, try this one. If you're new to dark chocolate it will be an adjustment, but power through it and these will be enjoyable.

Good dark chocolate. Can't really say anything bad about it. Not too bitter or too sweet, just the right ingredients. But I personally prefer other brands, like Taza. It's entirely subjective though.

It's not crazy sweet, which I really like. Too much food in the USA is pure sugar and it's just ridiculous. This stuff is actual, quality chocolate you can taste.

Excellent!